November 8, 2013

Lodi police announced the arrest of the driver accused of causing a collision Oct. 22 that killed five members of a family, including a pregnant woman, and critically injured another member.

Ryan Christopher Morales, 28, of Lodi was taken into custody Friday at a Sacramento-area hospital where he was being treated for injuries sustained in the crash, according to a Police Department news release. Officials said he has been moved to a Lodi-area hospital to continue his recovery. Police said he will be booked into San Joaquin County Jail after his doctors clear him for incarceration, and he will remain under guard until he is booked.

Morales was arrested on suspicion of six counts of second-degree murder and six counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Police said additional charges may be considered by the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office after a review of the completed investigation.

The crash occurred at 5:21 p.m. at a busy intersection near Lodi Middle School and involved six vehicles. Killed in the collision were Luis Miranda, 32, and his wife, Viviana Rodriguez, 31, who was seven months pregnant. Also killed were three of their four children, Irving, 12, Jose, 6, and Stephanie, 5. The other child, 9-year-old Eden, was critically injured but survived and has been released from UC Davis Medical Center.

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